Winding device for winding up at least one material to be wound onto at least one exchangeable tube

ABSTRACT

A winding device for winding up at least one material to be wound onto at least one exchangeable tube, having at least one winding mandrel which, in at least one operating state, is provided to receive the at least one tube and/or drive it in rotation about a winding axis, comprising at least one mass-determining unit which is provided to determine, in at least one instant of time during at least one winding-up operation, at least one mass characteristic of the at least one tube and/or of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound up in this instant on the at least one tube.

PRIOR ART

The invention relates to a winding device according to the preamble of claim 1.

A winding device for winding up a material to be wound onto a tube is already known, wherein a diameter of the tube loaded at least partially with material to be wound is recorded during a winding-up operation and is taken into account when a drive unit that drives a winding mandrel of the winding device is controlled.

The object of the invention is in particular to provide a generic device having improved properties with regard to regulating a tension that acts on a material to be wound.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by way of the features of claim 1, while advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention can be gathered from the dependent claims.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The invention proceeds from a winding device for winding up at least one material to be wound onto at least one exchangeable tube, having at least one winding mandrel which, in at least one operating state, is provided to receive the at least one tube and/or drive it in rotation about a winding axis.

It is proposed that the winding device has at least one mass-determining unit which is provided to determine, in at least one instant of time during at least one winding-up operation, at least one mass characteristic of the at least one tube and/or of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound up in this instant on the at least one tube. A “material to be wound” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a material which is able to be wound up in particular for storage and/or for transport. For example, the at least one material to be wound can be at least one windable material made of plastics material and/or metal and/or textile fiber and/or paper. A “tube” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a body which is provided to receive a material to be wound up, in particular on an outer surface which is convexly curved preferably at least partially and particularly advantageously entirely. Preferably, the at least one tube is configured at least partially as a hollow body, advantageously as a hollow cylinder, in particular having an annular base surface. The term “provided” should be understood as meaning in particular specifically programmed and/or designed and/or equipped. The fact that an object is provided for a particular function should be understood as meaning in particular that the object fulfills and/or executes this particular function in at least one use state and/or operating state. The fact that the at least one tube is “exchangeable” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular that, in particular after an in particular predetermined quantity of the at least one material to be wound has been wound up, the at least one tube is replaceable with a further empty tube that is different from the at least one tube. A “winding mandrel” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a rotatable unit which is provided to transmit its rotary movement and/or a torque to a tube located on the winding mandrel. Preferably, the at least one winding mandrel is configured at least partially as a clamping mandrel which engages in the at least one tube and transmits a rotary movement and/or a torque to the at least one tube by means of a cohesive connection and/or by means of a form fit and/or preferably by means of a force fit, in particular by means of at least one clamping jaw. Preferably, the winding device has at least one drive unit which is provided to set the at least one winding mandrel into a rotary movement in particular during a winding-up operation. Preferably, the at least one drive unit is configured as an electric motor. A “winding axis” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular an axis about which a rotation of the at least one winding mandrel and/or of the at least one tube is executable in particular in order to wind up the at least one material to be wound. A “winding-up operation” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular an operation during which the at least one material to be wound is wound up onto the at least one tube by the winding device. A “mass-determining unit” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a unit which is provided to record, in at least one instant of time and/or preferably at a multiplicity of times during a winding-up operation, in each case at least one mass characteristic of the at least one tube and/or of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound up on the at least one tube. To this end, the at least one mass-determining unit preferably has at least one measuring unit and/or at least one sensor unit. A “mass characteristic” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a characteristic that defines a mass. The mass characteristic can in this case be in particular itself the mass or a characteristic from which the mass is determinable and/or calculable indirectly, in particular by at least one arithmetic operation. As a result of the configuration according to the invention, a generic winding device having improved properties with regard to regulation of a tension that acts in a material to be wound, in particular during an ongoing winding-up operation, can be provided. As a result, advantageously precise monitoring of a winding-up operation is made possible.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the mass-determining unit is provided to determine the at least one mass characteristic at least substantially continuously during at least a portion of the at least one winding-up operation and preferably throughout the at least one winding-up operation. The expression “at least substantially continuously” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular that the at least one mass characteristic is determined, in particular between a start time and an end time of the winding-up operation, in particular at time intervals with a duration of at most 20 s, in particular at most 10 s, preferably a maximum of 5 s and particularly advantageously at most 1 s, wherein the duration of the time intervals may be in particular at least substantially constant. Particularly advantageously, the at least one mass characteristic is determined in an uninterrupted manner at each time between the start time and the end time. As a result, advantageously reliable and in particular gap-free determination of the at least one mass characteristic can be achieved over an entire time course of a winding-up operation.

Preferably, the at least one mass-determining unit is provided to indirectly determine at least one mass of the at least one tube and/or of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound up in this instant on the at least one tube. The fact that the at least one mass is determined “indirectly” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular that the at least one mass is calculated, in particular by at least one arithmetic operation, from at least one recorded mass characteristic. Advantageously, in order to calculate the at least one mass, at least one further parameter which is in particular known and/or recorded in addition to the at least one mass characteristic, is included in the at least one arithmetic operation. As a result, advantageously easy and/or precise determination of the at least one mass of the at least one tube and/or of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound the at least one tube is made possible.

It is furthermore proposed that the at least one mass characteristic is implemented as at least one length and/or by at least one overall thickness of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound up in this instant on the at least one tube. In the event that the at least one mass characteristic is implemented as at least one length, the at least one mass-determining unit is provided to determine, during a winding-up operation, the length of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound thus far onto the at least one tube. In this case, a length measurement takes place preferably continuously. A mass of the material to be wound that has already been wound onto the at least one tube can thus be calculated from the recorded length value in combination with known geometric cross-sectional properties, in particular a width and/or a thickness and/or a diameter, and/or a known density, in particular including a length density, of the at least one material to be wound. An “overall thickness” should be understood in this connection to mean in particular a product of a thickness of the at least one material to be wound and the sum of all the layers of the at least one material to be wound that have been wound up on top of one another. If the at least one mass characteristic is implemented as at least one overall thickness, the at least one mass-determining unit is provided to measure, during a winding-up operation, the at least one overall thickness of all of the layers of the at least one material to be wound that have already been wound up onto the at least one tube, starting from an outer surface of the at least one tube. Alternatively, it is likewise conceivable to measure at least one diameter of the tube and of the already wound-up material to be wound. If the diameter of the at least one tube is known, the at least one overall thickness of the already wound-up material to be wound is calculable from the recorded diameter. Preferably, the at least one overall thickness is measured and/or calculated continuously. A mass of the material to be wound that has already been wound onto the at least one tube can in this case be calculated from the recorded and/or computed overall thickness in combination with a known width of the at least one tube and/or a known density of the at least one material to be wound. As a result, advantageously exact determination of the mass of a material to be wound that has already been wound onto the at least one tube is made possible.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the winding device has at least one control and/or regulation unit which is provided to set, during the at least one winding-up operation, a tension that acts in the at least one material to be wound, taking into account the at least one mass characteristic and/or the at least one mass. In particular, the control and/or regulation unit is provided to acquire and/or evaluate the at least one mass characteristic recorded by the at least one mass-determining unit and/or the mass recorded by the at least one mass-determining unit. In particular, the at least one control and/or regulation unit is provided to directly and/or indirectly set the at least one tension, in particular during a winding-up operation, in particular taking into consideration an increasing mass of the at least one tube, such that the at least one tension corresponds at least substantially to an in particular predetermined value. A “tension” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a mechanical stress which acts in the at least one material to be wound, in particular during a winding-up operation. Preferably, the at least one control and/or regulation electronics has at least one input unit, via which at least one parameter can be input, in particular manually by at least one operator. The at least one parameter may be for example a minimum value and/or a maximum value and/or an average value of a tension, and/or a parameter which is provided to be included in an evaluation of the at least one mass characteristic. As a result, a tension that acts in the at least one material to be wound can be set in an advantageously simple manner.

In a preferred configuration of the invention, it is proposed that, in order to set the tension that acts in the at least one material to be wound, the at least one control and/or regulation unit is provided to modify at least one torque of the at least one winding mandrel and/or of the at least one tube. Preferably, the at least one control and/or regulation unit modifies at least one torque of the at least one drive unit which is provided to set the at least one winding mandrel into a rotary movement, in particular during a winding-up operation. In particular, the at least one torque can be set in a region of at most 0.5 Nm, advantageously at most 0.2 Nm, and particularly advantageously 0.1 Nm. As a result, an advantageously simple and/or rapid influence on the at least one tension can be made possible.

In a particularly preferred configuration of the invention, it is proposed that the at least one control and/or regulation unit is provided to increase the at least one torque with increase of the mass characteristic and/or the mass. Preferably, the at least one torque is increased at least substantially proportionally to an increase in the at least one mass characteristic and/or the at least one mass. As a result, advantageous adaptation of the at least one torque and thus of the at least one tension to a mass that increases as a result of the at least one material to be wound being wound up onto the at least one tube can be achieved.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the at least one control and/or regulation unit is provided to keep the tension at least substantially constant during the at least one winding-up operation. In particular, the tension that acts in the at least one material to be wound fluctuates by a maximum of 10%, advantageously by a maximum of 5% and particularly advantageously by a maximum of 1% about an in particular fixed value during a winding-up operation. As a result, advantageously exact and/or damage-free winding-up of the at least one material to be wound can be achieved.

DRAWINGS

Further advantages can be gathered from the following description of the drawings. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings. The drawings, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them to form appropriate further combinations.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a winding device during a winding-up operation,

FIG. 2 shows the winding device from FIG. 1 with a divided winding mandrel, and

FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of a winding system having three winding devices and one feed device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a winding device 10 for winding up a strip-form material to be wound 12 onto an exchangeable tube 14. However, the use of other materials to be wound having a geometry that differs from a strip form likewise conceivable. In order to wind up the material to be wound 12, the tube 14 is driven in rotation about a winding axis 18 by means of a winding mandrel 16.

During the winding-up operation, a mass of the material to be wound 12 that has already been wound up onto the tube 14 is continuously determined. Instead of continuous determination, time-discrete recording, in which the time intervals between individual recording times should be selected depending on a winding speed and/or an overall duration of a winding-up operation, would also be conceivable. For this purpose, the winding device 10 has a mass-determining unit 20, which records a mass characteristic of the already wound-up material to be wound 12. The mass characteristic may be the mass of the already wound-up material to be wound 12 itself, which is recorded for example directly by a mass sensor. Preferably, however, the mass characteristic is a characteristic by way of which the mass of the already wound-up material to be wound 12 is recordable indirectly.

Thus, for example during the winding-up operation, an overall thickness 22 of the material to be wound 12 that has already been wound up on the tube 14 can be recorded by the mass-determining unit 20. This may take place for example such that the mass-determining unit 20 undergoes a change in position on account of the overall thickness 22 increasing during the winding-up operation, wherein a displacement travel of the mass-determining unit 20 corresponds to the overall thickness 22 of the already wound-up material to be wound 12. When the width of the tube 14 and the density of the material to be wound 12 are known, the mass of the already wound-up material to be wound 12 is calculable exactly on the basis of the recorded overall thickness 22 of the material to be wound 12 that has already been wound up. Alternatively, it would likewise be conceivable for a length of an already wound-up material to be wound to be recorded by a mass-determining unit. When the cross-sectional geometry and density of a material to be wound is known, the mass of the already wound-up material to be wound is calculable on the basis of the recorded length. Furthermore, it is likewise possible to weigh a tube loaded with a predetermined quantity of a material to be wound and to use the recorded values as reference values for determining the mass during a winding-up operation.

Furthermore, the winding device 10 has an control and/or regulation unit 70, which is illustrated merely in an indicated manner here. The control and/or regulation unit 70 is provided to set, during a winding-up operation, a tension 72 that acts in the material to be wound 12 to a fixed value, coordinated in particular with the material to be wound 12, taking into account the mass characteristic. To this end, the control and/or regulation unit 70 acquires the at least one mass characteristic recorded by the at least one mass-determining unit 20 and evaluates said mass characteristic, in particular on the basis of parameters and/or calculation formulas stored in the control and/or regulation unit 70. The tension 72 is set by the control and/or regulation unit 70 during a winding-up operation by way of a change in the torque of the winding mandrel 16 and/or of a drive unit (not illustrated here) which is provided to set the winding mandrel 16 into a rotary movement. In the process, the control and/or regulation unit 70 increases the torque as the mass and/or the mass characteristic increases. The increase in the torque takes place proportionally to an increase in the mass characteristic and/or of the mass, with the result that the tension 72 is kept constant throughout the winding-up operation.

FIG. 2 shows the winding device 10 from FIG. 1 between two winding-up operations. It can be seen that the winding mandrel 16 has a first mandrel unit 24 and a second mandrel unit 26. The first mandrel unit 24 and the second mandrel unit 26 are designed such that they are introducible from opposite sides into a tube 14 onto which the material to be wound 12 is provided to be wound up. Preferably, the first mandrel unit 24 and the second mandrel unit 26 each have a plurality of clamping jaws (not illustrated here) by way of which a force-fitting connection with an inner surface of the tube 14 is producible.

In order to insert and/or remove the tube 14, a distance between the first mandrel unit 24 and the second mandrel unit 26 is variable. To this end, the second mandrel unit 26 is on an arm 58 mounted on rails 56, such that the second mandrel unit 26 is displaceable parallel to and/or along the winding axis 18. In addition, the arm 58 is mounted so as to be pivotable about an axis 34 extending parallel to the winding axis 18, with the result that a distance between the second mandrel unit 26 and the first mandrel unit 24 is also variable perpendicularly to the winding axis 18. If the first mandrel unit 24 and the second mandrel unit 26 have been introduced fully into a tube, these together form the winding mandrel 16. During a winding-up operation, the first mandrel unit 24 and the second mandrel unit 26 are in a state in which they have been introduced fully into the tube 14. In this case, the first mandrel unit 24 and the second mandrel unit 26 are designed such that, in the state in which they have been introduced fully into the tube, there is a distance of 10 mm between an end side of the first mandrel unit 24 and an end side of the second mandrel unit 26. Depending on a width of a respectively used tube, a distance between a first mandrel unit and a second mandrel unit can vary, although the distance is never zero.

The first mandrel unit 24 is operatively connected to a drive unit (not illustrated). The drive unit is in the form for example of an electric motor. During a winding-up operation, the drive unit sets the first mandrel unit 24 into a rotary movement about the winding axis 18. The rotary movement is transmitted via the tube 14 to the second mandrel unit 26, with the result that the second mandrel unit 26 rotates about the winding axis 18 in the same direction and at the same speed as the first mandrel unit 24.

Furthermore, the winding device 10 comprises a tube-changing unit 28 which feeds the tubes 14 to the first mandrel unit 24 and transports said tubes 14 away from the first mandrel unit 24 following the completion of the winding-up operation. In this case, the tube-changing unit 28 has a first handling unit 30 and a second handling unit 32. The first handling unit 30 feeds empty tubes 14 to the first mandrel unit 24. To this end, the first handling unit 30 is in the form of an arm 60 which is movable parallel to the winding axis 18 and is pivotable about an axis 62 extending parallel to the winding axis 18. This makes it possible for the first handling unit 30 to place empty tubes 14 on the first mandrel unit 24.

The second handling unit 32 is formed from the second mandrel unit 26 and the arm 58, on which the second mandrel unit 26 is mounted. The second handling unit 32 removes the loaded tube 14 from the first mandrel unit 26 following the completion of a winding-up operation. In this case, the second mandrel unit 26 transmits a tensile force produced by a movement of the arm 58 along the rails 56 to the loaded tube 14 to be removed, with the result that the latter is removed from the first mandrel unit 24. The loaded tube 14 removed from the first mandrel unit 24 is set down for further transport by way of a pivoting movement of the arm 58 about the axis 34 extending parallel to the winding axis 18.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of a winding system 36. The winding system 36 comprises a feed device 38 and for example three winding devices 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, as are shown in detail in FIGS. 1 and 2. The feed device 38 is for example an extruder which produces a material to be wound 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, or a device in which a store of the material to be wound 12 a, 12 b, 12 c is available. The winding devices 10 a, 10 b, 10 c are oriented parallel to one another. The winding axis 18 has an identical orientation for the three winding devices 10 a, 10 b, 10 c.

Each winding device 10 a, 10 b, 10 c is assigned a deflecting unit 40 a, 40 b, 40 c which deflects the material to be wound 12 a, 12 b, 12 c coming from the feed device 38 at an angle 64 a, 64 b, 64 c of 90° about an axis 68 a, 68 b, 68 c which extends parallel to the direction of gravitational force 44, as said material to be wound 12 a, 12 b, 12 c travels to the winding devices 10 a, 10 b, 10 c. Alternatively, a deflection of a material to be wound about an axis which extends parallel to the direction of gravitational force can also take place about an angle of less than 90°, although the angle is at least 10°. In this case, the deflection takes place in a direction 42 which extends perpendicularly to the direction of gravitational force 44 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 2). Depending on the particular application case, a deflection can also take place in a direction which encloses an angle of less than 90° with the direction of gravitational force, although the angle is at least 30°. A feed direction 66 of the material to be wound 12 a, 12 b, 12 c extends here between the feed unit 38 and the deflecting units 40 a, 40 b, 40 c for example parallel to the winding axis 18 of the winding devices 10 a, 10 b, 10 c. The deflecting units 40 a, 40 b, 40 c each comprise a deflecting roller 48 having a lateral guide (not illustrated in more detail) which prevents a material to be wound 12 a, 12 b, 12 c from jumping down from the particular deflecting roller 48. During deflection by the deflecting unit 40 a, 40 b, 40 c, the material to be wound 12 a, 12 b, 12 c is rotated first of all from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation by the deflecting units 40 a, 40 b, 40 c and returns to a horizontal orientation following deflection, with the result that damage-free deflection of the material to be wound 12 a, 12 b, 12 c is achieved.

A transporting device 50 which transports away loaded tubes 14 a, 14 b, 14 c is arranged downstream of the winding devices 10 a, 10 b, 10 c. A transporting direction 52 of the transporting device 50 extends parallel to the winding axis 18. The loaded tubes 14 a, 14 b, 14 c are in this case transferred to the transporting device 50 by a handling unit 32 of the particular winding device 10 a, 10 b, 10 c. In this case, a transfer direction 54 a, 54 b, 54 c extends perpendicularly to the winding axis 18, with the result that a directed material flow within the winding system 36 is achieved. 

1. A winding device for winding up at least one material to be wound onto at least one exchangeable tube, having at least one winding mandrel which, in at least one operating state, is provided to receive the at least one tube and/or drive it in rotation about a winding axis, comprising at least one mass-determining unit which is provided to determine, in at least one instant of time during at least one winding-up operation, at least one mass characteristic of the at least one tube and/or of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound up in this instant on the at least one tube.
 2. The winding device according to claim 1, wherein the mass-determining unit is provided to determine the at least one mass characteristic at least substantially continuously during at least a portion of the at least one winding-up operation.
 3. The winding device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mass-determining unit is provided to indirectly determine at least one mass of the at least one tube and/or of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound up in this instant on the at least one tube.
 4. The winding device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mass characteristic is implemented as at least one length and/or by at least one overall thickness of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound up in this instant on the at least one tube.
 5. The winding device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one control and/or regulation unit which is provided to set, during the at least one winding-up operation, a tension that acts in the at least one material to be wound, taking into account the at least one mass characteristic and/or the at least one mass.
 6. The winding device according to claim 5, wherein, in order to set the tension that acts in the at least one material to be wound, the at least one control and/or regulation unit is provided to modify at least one torque of the at least one winding mandrel and/or of the at least one tube.
 7. The winding device according to claim 6, wherein the at least one control and/or regulation unit is provided to increase the at least one torque with increase of the mass characteristic and/or the mass.
 8. The winding device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one control and/or regulation unit is provided to keep the tension at least substantially constant during the at least one winding-up operation.
 9. The winding device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one mass determining unit is provided to indirectly determine at least one mass of the at least one tube and/or of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound up in this instant on the at least one tube.
 10. The winding device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one mass characteristic is implemented as at least one length and/or by at least one overall thickness of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound up in this instant on the at least one tube.
 11. The winding device according to claim 2, further comprising at least one control and/or regulation unit which is provided to set, during the at least one winding-up operation, a tension that acts in the at least one material to be wound, taking into account the at least one mass characteristic and/or the at least one mass.
 12. The winding device according to claim 6, wherein the at least one control and/or regulation unit is provided to keep the tension at least substantially constant during the at least one winding-up operation.
 13. The winding device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one mass characteristic is implemented as at least one length and/or by at least one overall thickness of the at least one material to be wound that has been wound up in this instant on the at least one tube.
 14. The winding device according to claim 3, further comprising at least one control and/or regulation unit which is provided to set, during the at least one winding-up operation, a tension that acts in the at least one material to be wound, taking into account the at least one mass characteristic and/or the at least one mass.
 15. The winding device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one control and/or regulation unit is provided to keep the tension at least substantially constant during the at least one winding-up operation.
 16. The winding device according to claim 4, further comprising at least one control and/or regulation unit which isprovided to set, during the at least one winding-up operation, a tension that acts in the at least one material to be wound, taking into account the at least one mass characteristic and/or the at least one mass. 